moving forward, real life adventures, Thankful

Battling mid-life

Movin' it with Michelle

I am battling with being 46 years old, sort of…I am caught between looking back on my past, and looking towards the future. I’ve read so many articles where women boast that the 40’s are an amazing decade to celebrate because by then you’ve “got it all figured out.”

But I don’t. While I am getting there, I still know I am not where I want to be in life. I still have unwanted debt, student loans hanging over my head, and am in a career I didn’t choose for myself. Thankfully my husband I sat down and redid our budget and with some major fun cuts we should be able to have a handle on our debt within six months minus my student loans. Who’d think a 46 year old would still have student loans?

Do I regret going back to school at a later age to obtain my MBA? Sometimes, yes. It hasn’t helped me progress in my career, hasn’t launched me into a new career, and heck at my age it’s a little late to make a career change in all honesty. But am I proud of those three little letters in my signature block? You’re darn right I am.

Looking back, though, I can honestly say despite many challenges I sure did live my best life in my younger years. I lived it up with friends, I embraced my Air Force career, and I sacrificed a lot for my kids which is something I’d never change. This says a lot, because I used to look back and regret so many things, yet now I can celebrate all I overcame, and all I endured. It has made me who I am today.

My goals moving forward are to give all I can to my kids so that they don’t have to struggle like I did as a young adult. To keep dreaming big, all while keeping it real. My Mom recently asked me, “If you could make a career change, what would you do?” I struggled with an answer, but after much thought I can say this…I’d have my own restaurant, write a book or two or three, be a health/wellness coach, and most importantly do something where I could use my experiences to help others. Yup…that’s what I would do.

Life_quotes_to_live_by-3

Today I am thankful for:

  1. My past, for it made me who I am.
  2. Morning snuggles with my husband, for this simple act makes my day so much better.
  3. My daughters. They are amazing young ladies.
  4. My life. For it is short, and sweet, and I do my best to embrace each day.
  5. Sunshine. It truly soothes my soul.

What are you thankful for today? Do you have any regrets? If you could have one career in life, what would it be?

Cheers,

Michelle

Published by Movin' it with Michelle

My name is Michelle and I am a retired Air Force Master Sergeant. I have found a passion for running, cooking, writing, photography and all things that move my love for life! I've ran 3 full marathons, with a PR of 4:25, and 17 half marathons with a PR of 2:00:11 (yup-missed sub 2 by 11 seconds, lol). Thanks for joining me on my journey!

25 thoughts on “Battling mid-life”

  3. Love your raw honesty. My list is very long of things I would have done differently, but every experience molded me into what I am today (the good and bad). Always working to get better. We are works in process, I suppose. Love you! Xoxo

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  4. I struggle with these thoughts a lot. While I was lucky to pay my way through college, I ended up with a degree that I thought would take me to law school. But after I got in, I decided I didn’t want to be a lawyer and now I have a degree that doesn’t offer me much. Sometimes when I think about our future and how to give more to our kids, I struggle with the idea of going back to college. But I wonder if it would really be worth it. You know how we always thought in junior high that all the other girls were so much cooler and it was just us that were insecure? I think that these fears in our 40’s are the same way. We feel scared and alone and we are all worried about the same thing!

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  5. “I’d have my own restaurant, write a book or two or three, be a health/wellness coach, and most importantly do something where I could use my experiences to help others.” It seems to me you have a clear vision for your life. You can still have this. You can still live your best life now. Someone once said to me, “Stop looking at the years you’ve lost and start looking at the years you’ve got left.” Lights a fire in me when I start to think I’m “too old” to go after my dreams; I’m 32. I hope this doesn’t offend you, but offers a different perspective. I can understand the feelings you are having and completely respect them. I still believe you’re never too old to start living your dreams.

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  8. Sunshine is the best. Unfortunately we don’t get a lot of it up here. I’m still not quite sure what I want to do with my life and I’m older than you! Although I have some ideas. We’ll see.

    I seriously don’t know how parents do it anymore, not with both parents working. And everyone pretty much has to! That’s really hard.

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  12. I am past mid-life now, Michelle and retired. As far as my professional life, I have no regrets at all. I had a career I loved for 30+ years – I was a high school teacher. I also was older when I went back to teaching. I stayed home with my young kids for 9 years, but I don’t regret that either.
    I am thankful for a wonderful hubby, good friends, the ability to run without pain and my kids and grandkids. That’s a lot!

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